"Uncle," Gu Qingqing was supported by Gu Bao. She glanced at the young woman next to her calmly, her eyes smiling into crescents, "It's time to go home for dinner. There are your favorite sour radishes."
"Let's go back now." Gu Bao saw the little yellow dog following her and circling around her legs. She bent down, picked up the puppy by the neck, weighed it twice, and put it in the basket of dry firewood behind her.
"Dami seems to have gained some weight." In the end, Gu Bao still didn't dare to give the little yellow dog his uncle's name.
He is weak and can't stand a beating.
Da Mi's paws were on the edge of the basket, and his big black eyes were innocent and cute. Sun Yuanyuan couldn't help but reach out to tease him: "Qingqing, this is your puppy. It's so interesting."
Puppies are very cute when they are young.
It is a good idea to not hit a smiling person, and there was no friction between Gu Qingqing and this group of educated youth. It was just that my father said that they were a little slow in doing things.
It's not a big deal.
So she smiled and replied, "Yes, Uncle Jianshan gave it to me. Sister Yuanyuan, what do you want to talk to my uncle about?"
"We wanted to start our own vegetable garden and we saw Gu Bao cutting bamboo. We wanted to ask him to help cut two pieces to make a fence to surround the vegetable garden."
The chickens in the village were all free-range, often running around in large groups, and they also liked to go up the mountain to peck at insects. She was afraid that the vegetable seeds she had just planted in the garden would be eaten by the chickens.
However, she picked up three eggs from a bamboo nest in the back mountain yesterday. They must have been laid there secretly by a hen to hatch chicks. She picked up two and shared them with the leaves, and left the other one there for the hen to continue laying eggs.
Of course, this matter must not be told to Gu Qingqing. She is straightforward, but not stupid.
"Oh, oh." Gu Qingqing was relieved. "Leave it to me. My second uncle has a lot of small bamboos left from making baskets. They are perfect for making fences. I'll bring them to you tomorrow."
"Don't bother. I'm free. Can I go to your house and get it now?"
Gu Qingqing glanced at the backyard of the educated youth settlement and saw that three male educated youth were indeed digging the soil. Smoke was rising from the chimney on the roof of the thatched house. The educated youth named Ye Zi was probably cooking.
"Okay." She nodded readily. "You and my uncle go first. I'll go call my brother Xiong to eat." She looked into the distance and saw that the other brothers had come down one after another, but her eldest cousin was still bundling firewood with his bare chest.
"Okay, I'll take her there. Come back soon. I'll take you to catch snails tonight. Isn't your brother Yuan Chao the best at catching fish and shrimps? My dear, you'll have a treat tomorrow!"
"You said so, don't cheat!" Gu Qingqing was afraid that he would go back on his word, so she ran up the mountain, turning back halfway and saying, "I'll call Xiaoyu later!"
"This crazy girl." Gu Bao's smile was bright and clear, and he replied lazily, "Okay, you can call Xiao Xia, uncle will do whatever you want."
Gu Bao held the bamboo basket straps on his shoulders with both hands, turned his head and said to the dazed female educated youth beside him: "Let's go."
"Oh? Oh, okay." While Sun Yuanyuan was stunned, Gu Bao and Gu Yuan, who was carrying bamboos on his shoulders, walked in front of Gu Jianguo.
The tail of the bamboo dragged a long trail of branches and leaves on the ground. Sun Yuanyuan was somewhat surprised by the way the Gu family got along with each other. It is said that there is a serious preference for boys over girls in rural areas, but it seems that this is not the case with the Gu family?
Shaking her head, she hurried after him.
Gu Qingqing climbed to the middle of the mountain, panting. She almost fell down because of the slippery grass. Gu Xiong was quick to grab her.
"Sister Qing, just stand down there and call me. I can hear you. You don't have to climb up next time."
There are snakes on the mountain in summer. The green bamboo leaves are entangled on the small bamboos. At first glance, you can't see their roots.
Gu Qingqing held onto his arm to steady herself, patted her chest with a lingering fear, let out a breath, and said, "Brother, luckily you were quick, otherwise I would have fallen flat on my face."
Gu Xiong withdrew his hand, swung the paring knife and removed a thin bamboo branch with leaves from the bamboo next to him. He inserted the paring knife back into the bamboo tube hanging on his body, and the bamboo branch was wound into a rope in his hand.
He bent down and tied up another bundle of loose firewood, saying cheerfully, "Brother, can I still watch you fall? What did your uncle say to you just now? You look so happy."
"My uncle said he would take me to catch snails tonight." Gu Qingqing went to help, standing firmly on the sticks and said, "Brother, you can come with us."
"Okay, there's nothing to do in the fields, so I'll go with you." Gu Xiong straightened up and wiped the sweat off his face.
There are many bamboos in Datunzi Village, and trees only account for a small part of the total. Most of them are in thorny bushes. Except for the older generation, young people don't like to go into the thorny bushes.
What Gu Yuanchao cut back for them were all bamboos, which were not burned. He preferred hard firewood sticks. The charcoal from burning the pot could be placed in a clay pot for warming fire in winter.
The skewer in Gu Xiong's hand was firmly inserted between two large bundles of firewood, which looked to weigh about two hundred pounds. He squatted down, and suddenly stood up with his legs as strong as a buffalo. The skewer was bent by the firewood, but quickly bounced back.
Gu Qingqing was stunned, "Brother!" Her cousin was really awesome, worthy of being the number one young man in the Gu family and the strongest labor force in the village.
"That's nothing, sister Qing. You go ahead and I'll watch over you." Gu Xiong smiled brightly.
"Okay." Gu Qingqing didn't dare to bother her brother anymore and hurried down the mountain, turning back from time to time to remind Gu Xiong: "Watch your step, brother."
The two bundles of firewood were swaying but very steadily on Gu Xiong's shoulders. The bundles made a "ho-ho" sound. Gu Xiong grinned and said, "Don't worry, I'm steady. Go a little further and don't get close to me. I'm afraid the firewood will hit you."
Gu Qingqing said "eh", and walked side by side with her cousin after getting down the mountain, chattering all the time, "Brother, we haven't caught fish for a long time. Last time, after harvesting rice, I went to the stream to wash my feet and saw a lot of small fish. I dried them in an iron pan and fried them with some chili and basil..."
As she spoke, she couldn't help licking the corner of her mouth.
"It's the busy farming season now. Now that I have some free time, I'll pick up some shrimps and small fish so you can have enough to eat." Seeing her greedy face, Gu Xiong was happy: "Tomorrow I'll go plow the fields to see if I can catch some loaches. The little greedy cat in the Gu family hasn't eaten meat for a long time."
"Brother, you can do it!" Gu Qingqing clenched her fists to cheer him on: "I want to eat stewed loach!"
"Okay, okay, I'll simmer it tomorrow."
As the afterglow faded, a crescent moon loomed in the sky. The brother and sister chatted and greeted their neighbors.
"Uncle Zhao, have you eaten yet? Did Aunt Zhao eat some chive pancakes?!"
"We're just about to eat. You have a keen nose." Qian Guihua heard her voice and took out a cake: "Eat it while it's hot. It's almost time for dinner at your house. Hurry back."
"Thank you, Aunt Zhao! It smells so good!" Gu Qingqing took it, broke off half and passed it to Gu Xiong's mouth.
"Axiong, this load of firewood must weigh about 230 kilograms," Zhao San smiled with narrowed eyes, "Three young men from ordinary families can't be as capable as you."
"Uncle Zhao, please stop praising me. Xiaoyu is also a good worker." Gu Xiong mumbled incoherently while chewing a biscuit.
Not to mention, Aunt Zhao’s skill in making pancakes is much better than that of his aunt and his mother.
The chive pancakes made by Aunt Zhao are fragrant and crispy, while the ones made by his aunt and mother are always a bit sticky.
"It's okay, but this kid is far inferior to you." Although he said this, Zhao San couldn't help but smile when he mentioned his eldest son.
"Don't stand here, eat quickly." Qian Guihua went to prepare the dishes and chopsticks: "Zhao San, did you hear me?! You haven't come yet?!"
"Here I come! Aren't we walking?" Zhao San shook his head and walked into the yard.
When she got home, Shi Rushuang saw that the girl's cheeks were puffy like a squirrel. She was a little speechless but also found it funny: "Whose family are you going to beg for money again?"
"The chive pancake that Aunt Zhao gave me," Gu Qingqing swallowed it down, and with a smile on her face, she acted coquettishly to Shi Rushuang, "Although it's delicious, the pancakes made by my mother and Second Aunt are still more fragrant."
Gu Xiong, who had just put down his burden, couldn't help but look up at her.
She wanted to help Gu Xiong carry the dry firewood into the kitchen, but was taken over by Gu Yuanchao.
"Qingqing, go wash your hands first, we'll take care of these."
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